Public Works
New Jersey Phonograph, 2023
9/10
A collection of working class anthems about his hometown, Elizabeth, New Jersey, Joe Normal blends glam-rock, folk ideas and timeless Americana into a formula that might remind you of Springsteen, Westerberg or Petty.
“Small Town Factory” gets the listen off to a warm start with swift strumming and charming bass lines, as Normal’s gritty yet inviting vocals tell the story of life on the production line, and “Setbacks” follows with bright piano and a mix of talking and singing amid some soulful nods that recruits grooves.
Further along, the bright and breezy “Living In The Borough” finds itself in melodic folk-rock territory, while “Summer Jobs” is a more garage rock spirited album highlight that comes with descriptive storytelling.
Closer to the end, the lush and pretty “We Are The Normal” showcases Normal’s infectious brand of blue collar rock perfectly in a dreamy sort of way, and “Bayway Refinery (At The Refinery)” finishes with a raw, tuneful, acoustic fueled anthem.
You might not realize it, but you’ve probably already heard Normal’s work, as he co-wrote a Sammy Hagar tune, and has played on TV and radio alongside Bobby Flay, Eric Estrada and Loni Anderson, to name a few.
Normal wrote, performed and produced this entire album himself and he did a great job capturing topics like worker’s rights, criminalization of the homeless and suicide prevention via his rugged rock’n’roll that tips it hat to his time spent with the Sunset Strip glam-pop legends The Zeros.
Travels well with: Jesse Malin- Outsiders; Gary Louris- Jump For Joy